The big frontman is back in the West Ham squad for the first time since August and set to lead the line against the Gunners.

Carroll's return should strike fear into the hearts of Arsenal's defenders with the memories of his hat-trick against them in April still fresh in the mind.

The 27-year-old terrorised Arsene Wenger's back four that day as West Ham battled back from two goals down to earn a thrilling 3-3 draw at Upton Park.

Sadly for the Hammers, those days have been few and far between since with Carroll suffering a knee injury against Astra Giurgiu in the Europa League at the start of the season which kept him out for three-and-a-half months.

But the former Newcastle and Liverpool striker is finally fit again, and under-pressure Hammers boss Bilic will pin his hopes on Carroll firing them away from relegation trouble following their miserable start to the season.

"He will be in the squad, so he's ready," said Bilic.

"He's a player that offers something special, he is one of the reasons why we were so prolific last season in front of goal, why we were so versatile, so dangerous, why we scored so many goals and why we finished so high.

"He played a great game against Arsenal where we didn't start well, we were two down and didn't play good.

"It was basically him who brought us back in that game before half-time with two goals, and he went on to score a hat-trick.

"If you ask me what he's capable of, that's one of the greatest examples.

"You can simply be very dangerous in the box if he's playing there because he occupies basically the whole box.

"From anywhere in the box when you put a cross in, a half-decent one, he makes it a good ball and the defences have to take care of him.

"No centre-back feels comfortable when he's close to the goal and the ball's in the air."

It will be Carroll's first Premier League appearance at the London Stadium in what will be the first derby since the EFL Cup win over Chelsea which was marred by crowd trouble.

Bilic had a message for the fans, saying: "We feel their support and their presence and I just want them to be behind us like they were against Chelsea, Sunderland, Stoke, and without causing any problems or trouble.